Anything but iPhone (thoughts on Desire, Galaxy S)

[Traveller]

Hi y'all doin' tonight
(or this morning, depending on your location...)

My HTC Kaiser (WinMobile6) is on its last leg and I was planning to buy HTC's current WM6.5 phone. But what do you know, my local T-Mobile provider (Austria) does not have and nor are they planning to introduce any new HTC Windows phones.

Instead, they recommended I go with the HTC Desire, an Android 2.1, AMOLED touch-screen phone. It looks like a beauty & has all the bells & whistles I need (such as HSDPA/3G, WLAN, quad-band, GPS/Compass, 400x800 AMOLED, decent cam and last but certainly not least... a 3.5mm jack!!!)

It's supposedly an iPhone killer, which sounds good to me (I still have a beef with Steve Jobs that goes way back to the first gen iPods - which couldn't / wouldn't play MP3s... :gun

Here's a review for those that have never heard of it (it might also be listed under a different name in with your carrier):
Mobile Phones UK - HTC Desire

Features of the HTC Desire include:

• 5 megapixel camera with face detection, autofocus and flash
• Video recording
• Display: AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with pinch-to-zoom capability, 480 X 800 pixels (3.7 inches) with auto-rotate
• GPS receiver with digital compass, Google Maps, HTC Footprints and geo-tagging
• Music player (aac, .amr, .ogg, .m4a, .mid, .mp3, .wav, .wma formats)
• FM radio
• Messaging: SMS, MMS, Email
• Ringtones: MP3 ringtones
• Internet: GPRS, EDGE, HSPA (7.2 Mbps download, 2Mbps upload)
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.1 with Enhanced Data Rate, mini-USB 2.0, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm audio jack
• Memory: 576 MB RAM plus microSD memory card (up to 32GB)
• Vibration alert
• Quadband GSM (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) plus HSPA/WCDMA (900/2100 MHz)
• Size: 119 x 60 x 11.9 mm
• Weight: 135g
• Talktime: 390 - 400 minutes
• Battery standby: 340 - 360 hours

Last but certainly not least, I would be getting it from my provider (T-Mobile) for €100 / $120 (with contract extension, of course).

Sounds like a plan to me; the only other phone on my short list is a Samsung AMOLED + WM 6.5... it's name has slipped my mind, but I will edit this post as soon as I find that puppy

Thanks for your input :beer:

***EDIT***
Apparently it's EU's version of the Nexus One... anyone own that? Satisfied with it?

 

[GoRdOn_B]

Re: Anything but iPhone (thoughts on HTC Desire)

I have the MyTouch.. My friend has a desire, they are pretty much the same phone exept the desire is a bit better/newer. I love mine. It has free GPS and navigation. I use them both all the time. It has fast interwebs speed, i get my gmail sent to it, i can use mp3's as ringtones. I can even tether it to my laptop and use it for webs connection. I would say its a great for apps.. Not so great for games. Iphone games are Waaaay better graphics wise, but i havent had a single problem with mine yet and i have had it for about 4 months now. if you do get it.. sign up for google voice. its like a free second phone number that you can use. i never giveout my real number anymore to places that want it, i give them my google number so i can permaban any undesired callers.


I would say thats a good choice though.

 

[robjdixon]

Re: Anything but iPhone (thoughts on HTC Desire)

I would wait a bit to see when the desire will get froyo. I bought a legend a few weeks ago, and now have found out it probably won't get it at all, so I'm a bit pissed off

 

[nikokapo]

Re: Anything but iPhone (thoughts on HTC Desire)

I can't wait to see how much it costs to buy one here. To give you an idea, a Motorola Milestone is priced around US$400.00.

 

[Traveller]

Re: Anything but iPhone (thoughts on HTC Desire)

Thx for the useful input, guys :beer:

Rob, I'm afraid I'm not an Android expert but I came across an article on Engadget stating that 2010 phones should get froyo. But If I were to buy the phone today, of course it will be loaded with Eclair; is it a FACT that HTC phones allow OS updates, regardless of carrier? In other words, did you buy yours through a carrier, or is it un-branded (unlocked)?

Niko, in Austria the Desire costs €475 unbranded, The Milestone's €430...

 

[Pontiacg5]

Re: Anything but iPhone (thoughts on HTC Desire)

I think T-mobile used to be really good about giving out unlokck keys, does anyone know if they still do so?

I'll be in the market for a "real" cell phone soon, I've been using a prepaid net-10 phone for a long time

 

[jander6442]

Re: Anything but iPhone (thoughts on HTC Desire)

HTC EVO 4g it's a wireless hotspot for up to 8 pc's... IIRC it said 8 megapix camera outside and 1.5 megapix for live video streaming. Look it up. As soon as sllingbox comes out with the android OP I'm going straight for it. My current Samsung with the 6.5 windows mobile is no slouch, I'm just waiting for the T.V. out option w/ the HD
streaming slingbox over 4g... gives me wood just thinking about all that bandwidth
I'm going to be hogin.

 

[Traveller]

Re: Anything but iPhone (thoughts on HTC Desire)

HD streaming slingbox over 4g...

4G... sounds great, but what kind of roll-out time-line are we talking about here...?

What is 4G?

"full-scale deployment of 4G is still a ways off - likely in the 2010-2015 range"

And what Countries will be first to enjoy 4G?

 

[laserboystuart]

Re: Anything but iPhone (thoughts on HTC Desire)

have you thought about the Sony ericsson Vivaz?

stuart

 

[jander6442]

Re: Anything but iPhone (thoughts on HTC Desire)

4g is here for the summer:Sprint - HTC EVO? 4G

 

[bobhaha]

Re: Anything but iPhone (thoughts on HTC Desire)

I'm actually thinking of buying the desire my self. Another great feature of the desire is that it is able to record in 720p high definition. Great little phone.

My friend told me that I should by it from the UK because they are cheaper and are compatible with Australian networks. They are around $600 AUS from UK.

I really like my friends one, can't wait till my plans up to get this one!

 

[Traveller]

Re: Anything but iPhone (thoughts on HTC Desire)

4g is here for the summer...

I'm actually thinking of buying the desire my self...

I would have liked to see the HTC Legend as well, side by side with the Desire (in real life), but T-Mobile Austria is not selling the Legend, so I will take the Desire.

Clearly waiting on a 4G-capable phone would be wise, but I don't really know how long it will be before the protocol is wide-spread in my area. This, despite this positive article I came across:

T-Mobile Tests 4G

By 4G Phones on August 28, 2009
Mobile phone operator T-Mobile is claiming to have setup the world’s first multi-user 4G / LTE test network in Innsbruck, Austria.
The test network, thought to be the largest in Europe, uses sixty cell phone towers and has been running since July. The company is using its existing 3G phone service as the technical base for the tests.
T-Mobile is trialling the 4G phone service to put the technology through its paces and to gain user feedback.
Austria has one of the highest rates of mobile data usage in Europe. One third of revenue generated by Mobilkom Austria – the Austrian market leader – comes from mobile broadband services.

 

[mikeeey]

Re: Anything but iPhone (thoughts on HTC Desire)

Nice to see a fellow Kaiser veteran. Are you a member of xda-developers?

 

[Traveller]

Re: Anything but iPhone (thoughts on HTC Desire)

Nice to see a fellow Kaiser veteran. Are you a member of xda-developers?

"I'm not a member, but I play one on TV..."
Seriously, a great hacker site, but I'm not talented enough (same problem with DIY lazors... ) I do have KaiserTweak installed though

I do have to say that the Kaiser's been my all-time best Mobile/cellphone. The only problem is that I never got used to using the keyboard (preferring the stylus instead) and so I'm fed up with it's thickness. The Desire's about as thick as my Blackberry curve which sits nicely in my back pocket (jeans), inner-pocket (suit), etc. The Kaiser's phat, but it's also fat...

 

[Benm]

Re: Anything but iPhone (thoughts on HTC Desire)

I'm actually thinking of buying the desire my self. Another great feature of the desire is that it is able to record in 720p high definition. Great little phone.

Those desire's are nice phones for sure, but i wouldn't expect too much from the camera. It might be good for a phone cam, but still crappy compared to digital camera's.

If you're unsure about updating the software, i'd wait for one that runs 2.2 out of the box though.

 

[Traveller]

Re: Anything but iPhone (thoughts on HTC Desire)

...i wouldn't expect too much from the camera...

While neither one of us is buying the phone for its video capabilities, it's pretty impressive none the less...

p.s. make sure to let the video completely download before judging it for framerates, etc.